We are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization founded in 2002. Our Director, Pauline found her faith later in life and felt deeply called to start rescuing animals. After seven years of prayer, Hope For Life Rescue was born. We started small, with very limited space, and began by rescuing and caring for cats. As we expanded and were able to take over more of the facility we are in today, we began rescuing dogs as well. One thing that sets us apart from many other rescues is that we have a physical facility. While we absolutely rely on foster homes to help care for many of our animals, we also operate out of a building that functions like a shelter and facilitates adoptions. Our mission is to rescue the abandoned, abused, injured, and neglected. Because of that, we often partner with open-intake shelters that, when overwhelmed or lacking resources, are forced to make heartbreaking decisions about the animals in their care.

Though many people call us a shelter, we're technically a rescue organization with a physical facility. We don't receive any government funding and operate entirely on donations. We are a no-kill rescue, meaning we don't euthanize animals due to space limitations, how long they've been with us, or conditions that can be treated medically or behaviorally. Euthanasia is only considered when an animal is suffering from a severe, untreatable condition or exhibits dangerous behaviors that pose a safety risk after we've exhausted every other option. Since we work with limited space and resources, we focus on rescuing animals from open intake shelters or urgent situations where their lives are in immediate danger. Our mission is to provide these animals with a second chance and a safe environment.

That depends on why you're getting in touch. If you have general questions about our organization, operations, adoption process, fostering, donations, or if you're contacting us from another shelter or rescue, please email contact@hopeforliferescue.com. For questions regarding our animals, daily operations, or if you haven't received a response to a previous email, you can reach us at admin@hopeforliferescue.com. If you're inquiring about your sleepover application, need resources for rehoming a pet, have questions about stray animals, or other community-related matters, please email community@hopeforliferescue.com. For updates on your adoption or foster application, contact our application coordinator at applications@hopeforliferescue.com. In case of an emergency involving one of our animals, please use the sleepover or foster contact number provided when you took the animal home. If you don't have that number, send us an email or message on Facebook or Instagram, which are monitored by multiple staff members for quicker responses.

Yes, you can call us at (757) 335-6670. Our team is small and actively working with animals throughout the day, so we're not always able to answer calls right away. We have an automated assistant on our phone line that can help with common questions or take a message for you. If you leave a voicemail, please provide your email address or a phone number that accepts text messages, as we typically follow up through email or text rather than calling back. For the quickest response, we suggest emailing us at contact@hopeforliferescue.com, which is the most reliable method to reach our team.

Yes, you can find us on Facebook and Instagram and send us a message there. We do our best to stay on top of social media messages, but because we receive so many, notifications can occasionally slip through the cracks. For anything important like application inquiries, adoption questions, or time-sensitive issues, we strongly recommend emailing us to make sure your message gets seen. Social media works well for quick, general questions where a slower response time is acceptable. If you're currently caring for one of our animals through a sleepover or foster arrangement, please use the sleepover or foster contact line you received instead of social media, as that's the fastest and most dependable way to reach us in those cases.

A puppy sleepover provides puppies with a temporary break from the shelter environment while supporting their development during a crucial stage of growth. Spending time in a home setting allows puppies to experience normal daily routines, build confidence, and receive positive socialization that helps them become well-adjusted dogs. Puppy sleepovers also help by opening up space in our facility, which enables us to take in more animals who need our help. These brief home stays offer enrichment and comfort for puppies while supporting our mission to save more lives. While sleepovers sometimes result in adoptions, which we're always thrilled about, their main purpose is to aid in puppy development and maximize the number of animals we can assist.

We are a 501(c)(3) non profit organization founded in 2002. Our Director, Pauline found her faith later in life and felt deeply called to start rescuing animals. After seven years of prayer, Hope For Life Rescue was born. We started small, with very limited space, and began by rescuing and caring for cats. As we expanded and were able to take over more of the facility we are in today, we began rescuing dogs as well.

We always recommend taking your animal to a veterinarian as soon as possible if you have any health concerns. Your vet is always your best first step. If you feel the issue may be connected to something that was present during their time in our care, please do not hesitate to reach out to us at contact@hopeforliferescue.com with as much detail as you can share. We genuinely care about the animals we place and are always happy to talk through what you are seeing and help point you in the right direction. We do our best to ensure every animal leaves our care as healthy as possible, and we appreciate your understanding that some things can develop after adoption that are outside of our control. We are always here to support you as best we can.

We understand that sometimes things do not go as planned, and we will always take our animals back. No matter the reason and no matter how much time has passed, please know that returning an animal to us is always an option. To help prevent this from happening, we do offer home visits prior to finalizing an adoption, which give you the opportunity to see how the animal settles into your home before fully committing. This helps ensure the best outcome for both you and the animal. If you do need to return an animal, please contact us first at contact@hopeforliferescue.com so we can schedule an appointment. Due to limited space, animals cannot be dropped off without prior coordination.

Adoption fees are considered a donation to our rescue and are generally non-refundable. However, we understand that every situation is different, and exceptions may be considered on a case-by-case basis at the discretion of our director. If you have questions about your specific situation, please reach out to us at contact@hopeforliferescue.com and we will do our best to help.

Yes! We have a Facebook group called Hope For Life Rescue Fosters, Adopters and Supporters that is open to anyone who has adopted, fostered, taken a puppy on a sleepover, or simply wants to support our mission. It is a growing community where members share updates on their animals, post sleepover photos, and connect with others who love what we do. You can search for the group directly on Facebook and join!

You can follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok! We post updates about the animals in our care, upcoming events, sleepover signups, volunteer needs, and more. We have two Facebook pages. Our main page, Hope For Life Rescue, is where you will find general updates, adoption announcements, and day-to-day news. Our second page, Hope For Life Rescue - Recovery Road, is dedicated to animals healing from injury, illness, or neglect. We also have a community group, Hope For Life Rescue Fosters, Adopters and Supporters. Our Facebook pages and Instagram account are verified with a blue checkmark. We are also on TikTok, though less active.

We are located in Virginia Beach at 610 Jack Rabbit Road, Suite 3, Virginia Beach, VA 23451. Hours: Closed Mondays; Tuesday–Friday 12 PM–4 PM; Saturday–Sunday 12 PM–5 PM. Visitors are welcome during open hours without an appointment, but an approved adoption application is required before finalizing adoption.

We are a rescue with a facility and do not receive government funding. Yes, we are a no-kill rescue. We do not euthanize animals for space, length of stay, or treatable conditions. Euthanasia is only considered for severe, untreatable suffering or dangerous behaviors after all options are exhausted.

We do not typically take in owner surrendered pets. Our focus is on animals from open intake shelters or urgent situations. Occasionally, we may help case-by-case depending on capacity.

Stray animals must go through animal control so owners can reclaim them. We cannot accept found dogs or adult cats. In some cases, such as young orphaned kittens, guidance may be provided.

For general questions: contact@hopeforliferescue.com. For animal or operational questions: admin@hopeforliferescue.com. For sleepover/community: community@hopeforliferescue.com. For applications: applications@hopeforliferescue.com.

Yes, (757) 319-4084. Voicemail should include email or text-capable number. Email is fastest.

Response times vary from minutes to a few days depending on volume. Email the correct department with details for faster help.

Email community@hopeforliferescue.com for updates or applications@hopeforliferescue.com for application-specific issues.

Yes, via Facebook and Instagram, but email is best for important or time-sensitive matters.

Puppy Sleepovers give puppies time in a home environment to develop confidence and socialization while freeing space in the rescue.

You can find more information about how our puppy sleepovers work on the our Puppy Sleepovers page, which covers everything you need to know before signing up.

As long as your sleepover application has been filled out and approved, and you've signed up, you're all set! There's no need to call or wait for someone to contact you. Just check the time frame listed for that sleepover and arrive anytime during that window.

Sleepover sign ups are posted nearly every day, depending on current need. We typically share the sign up link on our Facebook usually 2-3 hours before we close. If you don't have Facebook, no worries! You can still access the sign up directly through our: Puppy Sleepover Sign Up Link where you can check periodically for updates.

If you've taken a puppy on a sleepover and decide you'd like to adopt, you'll need to submit an adoption application if you haven't already. The application can be found under the Adopt tab on our website. Because the puppy is already in your care, you do receive priority to adopt as long as the puppy remains with you. This means no one else can adopt them while they are in your custody. If the puppy is returned to the rescue, they then become available to other adopters. Please note that some puppies have specific adoption requirements, such as homeownership if the puppy is a pit mix. In those cases, approval depends on meeting those criteria. If you're interested in moving forward, let our staff know and we'll be happy to walk you through the next steps!

Not exactly. Puppy Sleepovers are a short-term, flexible type of foster placement, while traditional fostering typically involves a longer commitment and additional responsibilities. Puppy sleepovers are designed for brief stays, sometimes as short as overnight, and focus on giving puppies time in a home for enrichment, routine, and positive experiences. Traditional fostering is more long-term and is centered on caring for an animal until they are ready for adoption or find a permanent home. Both Puppy Sleepovers and traditional fostering are important ways to support our rescue, and we are grateful for anyone who is able to help in either capacity.

Yes. While puppies go on sleepovers most often, adult dogs can also participate! Sleepovers primarily focus on puppies because they often arrive in large litters and tend to ne adopted more quickly. Puppies are also generally more flexible with new environments, people, and other pets which makes short stays easier to coordinate. That said, we do occasionally post adult dogs for sleepovers, and we love when they get the chance to spend time in a home. If you see an adult dog you'd be interested in taking on a sleepover, feel free to reach out so we can make sure it's a good fit. Adult dogs benefit just as much from time in a home, and we're always happy to explore sleepover opportunities for them when possible.

When puppies first arrive, they go through a 14 day observation period to monitor for any signs of illness. A quarantine puppy sleepover simply means the puppy is still within that observation window. It does not mean we believe the puppy is sick. Most puppies complete this period without ever showing signs of illness. During a quarantine sleepover, puppies stay in a home environment while we continue monitoring them. If a puppy begins to feel unwell, our team coordinates all medical care and covers veterinary costs. Families may be asked to provide short term supportive care while we guide next steps. Because these sleepovers involve extra precautions, participation is completely optional.